System for producing a customizable personal skincare product in a portable dispenser, and related methods

ABSTRACT

A system and method for producing a customizable personal skincare liquid product in a portable dispenser are disclosed herein. The system includes a processor, a memory, a supply of portable dispensers, a supply of a base liquid material, and a supply of additional substances. A user provides selections and instructions to the system. The system mixes the base liquid material with one or more of the additional substances in the portable dispenser to create a customizable personal skincare liquid product according to the user specifications.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a system and method forproducing a customizable personal skincare product stored in a portabledispenser, which is particularly suited for use in connection with akiosk placed at point of purchase locations. Related methods are alsoprovided, including for gathering market demographic informationregarding the user, and for providing user help features.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Personal skincare product dispenser systems, such as soap and sanitizerdispensers, provide a user with an amount of a personal skincare productupon actuation of the dispenser. A “personal skincare” product, asdefined herein, means any skin care product and representative examplesinclude soaps, sanitizers, cleansers, disinfectants, moisturizers,suntan lotions, anti-aging lotions, exfoliators, and the like. Suchpersonal skincare products usually take the form of a liquid such as alotion, a cream, an ointment, or the like. It is desirable to provide asystem and a method for producing a customizable personal skincareproduct stored in a portable dispenser, which are particularly suitedfor use in connection with a kiosk placed at point of purchaselocations. Related methods are also provided for gathering marketdemographic information regarding the user and providing user helpfeatures.

SUMMARY

A system and method for producing a customizable personal skincareproduct in a portable dispenser are disclosed herein. In one embodiment,the system comprises an enclosure containing at least one processor andmemory, a supply of portable dispensers, a supply of a base personalskincare material, and a mechanical drive system controlled by theprocessor. The user may employ an input to provide selections andinstructions to the system. Multiple storage units contain at least oneadditional substance which may be added to the base personal skincarematerial within the portable dispenser to create a customizable personalskincare product according to the user specifications. The mechanicaldrive system operates to position a selected portable dispenser toreceive substances from one or more of the multiple storage units.Related methods are also provided.

An exemplary methodology for producing a customizable personal skincareproduct stored in a portable dispenser includes obtaining from a user ofthe system one or more properties of a desired customizable personalskincare product. Obtaining a supply of a base personal skincarematerial within a portable dispenser. Adding one or more additionalsubstances into the portable dispenser, thereby mixing them with thebase personal skincare material within the portable dispenser, toproduce a final product in accordance with the properties of the desiredcustomizable personal skincare product. Placing a closure on theportable dispenser to hold the customized personal skincare productwithin the portable dispenser unless and until the user initiates adispensing action; and outputting the portable dispenser containing thedesired customizable personal skincare product from the system.

An exemplary customized personal skincare product includes a portabledispenser, a base personal skincare material. The customized personalskin care product further includes a first substance selected by a userand a second substance selected by a user.

In this way, a simple and economical system for producing a customizablepersonal skincare product stored in a portable dispenser is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome better understood with regard to the following description andaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustrative schematic diagram view of a system 100 forproducing a customizable personal skincare product stored in a portabledispenser;

FIG. 1A illustrates a representative portable container 10 for use inconjunction with the system 100 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 illustrates a representative method 200 of using the system 100of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a representative embodiment of a system 300 for producing acustomizable personal skincare product stored in a portable dispenser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of a system 100 forproducing a customizable personal skincare product stored in a portabledispenser. The system 100 comprises an enclosure 102 containing variouscomponents which permit the system 100 to operate. Thus, the enclosure102 contains one or more processors 104 and memory 106 for performingvarious functions and other tasks described herein. The functionsdescribed herein can be performed as software logic. “Logic,” as usedherein, includes but is not limited to hardware, firmware, softwareand/or combinations of each to perform a function(s) or an action(s),and/or to cause a function or action from another component. Forexample, based on a desired application or needs, logic may include asoftware controlled microprocessor, discrete logic such as anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other programmedlogic device. Logic may also be fully embodied as software.

“Software,” as used herein, includes but is not limited to one or moreprocessor readable and/or executable instructions that cause a processoror other electronic device to perform functions, actions, and/or behavein a desired manner. The instructions may be embodied in various formssuch as routines, algorithms, modules or programs including separateapplications or code from dynamically linked libraries. Software mayalso be implemented in various forms such as a stand-alone program, afunction call, a servlet, an applet, instructions stored in a memory,part of an operating system or other type of executable instructions. Itwill be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that the form ofsoftware is dependent on, for example, requirements of a desiredapplication, the environment it runs on, and/or the desires of adesigner/programmer or the like. The logic of the system 100 may mosteasily be embodied as part of a software package.

The system 100 and related methods described herein can be implementedon a variety of platforms including, for example, networked controlsystems and stand-alone control systems. Additionally, the logic shownand described herein preferably resides in or on a processor readablemedium, such as the memory 106. Examples of different processor readablemedia include Flash Memory, Read-Only Memory (ROM), Random-Access Memory(RAM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically programmableread-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-onlymemory (EEPROM), magnetic disk or tape, optically readable mediumsincluding CD-ROM and DVD-ROM, and others. Still further, the processesand logic described herein can be merged into one large process flow ordivided into many sub-process flows. The order in which the processflows herein have been described is not critical and can be rearrangedwhile still accomplishing the same results. Indeed, the process flowsdescribed herein may be rearranged, consolidated, and/or re-organized intheir implementation as warranted or desired.

The system 100 has an input means 108 which a user may employ to inputselections and instructions to the system 100. In various embodiments,the input means 108 may comprise one or more of a touch screen display,a number pad, a keyboard, a voice recognition system, or any othersimilar computer input means known in the art presently or hereafter. Inyet further embodiments, the input means 108 may comprise a wired orwireless data connection 110 between the system 100 and a personaldigital assistant being operated by the user, such as a smart phone ortablet device, having its own input means separate from that of thesystem 100. Representative data connections 110 include an Ethernetwire, Bluetooth, WiFi, Optical, IR and the like. Combinations of two ormore different input means 108 may be provided in the same system 100.The system 100 may additionally have a display means 112 in order toprovide feedback communication to the user of the system 100. Using theinput means 108 and perhaps a separate display means 112 or dataconnection, a user specifies one or more properties of a desiredcustomizable personal skincare product for the system 100 to produce.

In yet further embodiments, the system 100 may have several redundantinput means 108, such as for example two, three or more separate touchscreens. Such embodiments are useful to increase the number of userswhich may enter instructions into the system 100 in a given amount oftime, thereby increasing the production efficiency of the system 100.Thus, for example, the system 100 may produce a customized personalskincare product for a first user, while at the same time acceptinstructions from a second and a third user.

The enclosure 102 additionally contains one or more mechanical drivesystems 114 in order to operate mechanical components in the system 100.The mechanical drive systems 114 may comprise various motors, gears,belts, drives, ramps and the like (not shown) housed within theenclosure 102. In one embodiment, the mechanical drive systems 114operate to move the portable dispensers, one at a time, from a storagesupply 115 along a pathway 116 to pass by a bank 118 of storage units118 a, 118 b, 118 c, . . . . The separate storage units 118 each containdifferent substances which may be added to a base personal skincarematerial within the portable dispenser in order to create a customizablepersonal skincare product according to user specifications, as describedfurther below. In one embodiment, the storage units 118 move to dispensea substance into the portable dispenser. After the personal skincareproduct is customized by use of the storage units 118, the system 100continues to move the portable dispenser along the pathway 116. Thepathway 116 leads to an outlet opening 120 of the enclosure 102, fromwhich the portable dispenser 10 containing the customized personalskincare product may be expelled from the enclosure 102. A door 122 mayordinarily cover the outlet opening 120, to be opened when a dispensingaction is initiated. The enclosure 102 may additionally include one ormore windows 124 which permit the user to view the internal operationsof the system 100 as it forms the customized personal skincare productin a portable dispenser.

FIG. 1A illustrates a simple portable dispenser 10 which may be used inconjunction with the system 100 of FIG. 1. Thus, the dispenser 10comprises a hollow body 12 for storing a customized personal skincareproduct. A snap-fit closure cap 14 holds the product inside the body 12unless and until a dispensing action is initiated by the user. Such adispensing action may be, for example, a squeezing of a deformable body12 member. Other suitable dispensers (not shown) may be morecomplicated, such as incorporating a pumping mechanism or the like.

The system 100 may further include a printer 126 inside the enclosure102. The printer 126 may print personal skincare product informationeither directly on the portable dispenser itself, or onto a separatelabel which may be affixed to the portable dispenser by, for example, anadhesive. The personal skincare product information may include, forexample, a description of the chemical formulation of the customizedpersonal skincare product, instructions or warnings concerning use ofthe customized personal skincare product, governmental regulatoryinformation, and the like. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 1,the system 100 may itself apply a label to the portable dispensers asthey travel the pathway 116 within the system 100. In alternativeembodiments, the system 100 may dispense the label to the userseparately from the portable dispenser, so that the user may affix thelabel to the portable dispenser.

The system 100 further has a payment means 128 via which a user may payfor the customized personal skincare product produced by the system 100.The payment means 126 may comprise, for example, an electronic cardswipe slot which can read standard credit cards, debit cards, giftcards, and the like. The payment means 126 may alternatively oradditionally comprise a cash payment option, as is well known in the artof vending machines, or any other payment means known in the artpresently or hereafter. In yet further embodiments, the payment means126 may comprise a wired or wireless data connection 110 between thesystem 100 and a personal digital assistant being operated by the user,such as a smart phone or tablet device, having its own payment meansseparate from that of the system 100. Representative data connections110 include an Ethernet wire, Bluetooth, WiFi, opticaltransmitter/reader, an IR reader and the like. Combinations of two ormore different payment means 128 may be provided in the same system 100.

In one embodiment, all components of the system 100 that involve directinteraction with the user are placed on a common face of the systemenclosure 102. This is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 1 wherein theinput means 108, the display means 112, the outlet opening 120, and thepayment means 128 are all disposed on the front face 132 of the system100. Other embodiments, of course, are possible.

FIG. 2 illustrates a representative method 200 of using the system 100.In a first step 202, a user interacts with the input means 108 to defineseveral properties of a desired personal skincare product.

Next, the system 100 obtains 204 a supply of a base personal skincarematerial within a portable dispenser. In this regard, the system 100already may have stored within it a supply of the base personal skincarematerial, as well as a supply 115 of portable dispensers for holding thecustomized personal skincare product. In one embodiment, the basematerial is stored within a storage unit 130 in the system 100separately from the portable dispensers, as shown in FIG. 1. In thatevent, in step 204, the system 100 injects a portion of the basepersonal skincare material into an empty portable dispenser as ittravels along the pathway 116 between the supply 115 and the additionalsubstance storage units 118. The term “travels along the pathway 116”may be literal or figurative, i.e., the portable dispenser mayphysically move along a pathway or the pathway may represent steps ofadding different material to the portable dispenser. In an alternativeembodiment, each of the portable containers is stored within the supply115 already containing a supply of base personal skincare material. Inthat alternative event, in step 204, the system 100 simply selects oneof the pre-filled portable containers. In a yet further embodiment (notshown), the system 100 may be configured to accept from the user aportable container which is pre-filled with a base personal skincarematerial. In any event, the portable dispenser is preferably onlypartially filled with the base personal skincare material beforereaching the additional substance storage units 118, such as for examplebeing two-thirds full or one-half full.

The system 100 next adds 206 one or more additional substances into theportable dispenser, mixing them with the base personal skincare materialalready stored within the portable dispenser, to produce a finalpersonal skincare product in accordance with the user's specifications.Each additional substance is stored within one or more of the storageunits 118 for addition 206 into the portable dispenser. One of ordinaryskill in the art will appreciate there are many different methods foradding 206 or injecting the additional substances from the storage units118 into the portable dispenser.

In one representative embodiment of the injection step 206, the storageunits 118 each have a conical injection head designed to be insertedinto an open top of the portable dispenser. An injection pressure isthen applied to the additional substance in the storage unit, such as anair pressure or a mechanical pressure acting on a piston inside thestorage unit 118, or a mechanical squeezing pressure acting on theoutside of a deformable storage unit 118. The injection pressure forcesa controlled amount of the additional substance to move from the storageunit 118 down into the open top of the portable dispenser.

In embodiments where the portable dispensers are stored 115 in thesystem 100 already containing a supply of base personal skincarematerial, it may be desirable to seal the otherwise open top of theportable dispensers until just prior to addition 206 of the additionalsubstances. Such sealing may prevent the base material from drying out,going stale, or otherwise degrading during the time it is stored in thesystem 100. In one representative example, the portable dispenser topsmay be sealed with a foil closure (not shown). Then, when a portabledispenser is chosen for customization, the system 100 pierces the foilclosure seal so that appropriate additives may be added to the portablecontainer. For example, the storage units 118 may have conicaldispensing heads which pierce the foil seal so that the additionalsubstances stored in the storage units 118 may be inserted into theportable dispenser without interference from the foil seal.

In the next step 208, the system 100 places a closure means on theportable dispenser. The closure means functions to hold the customizedpersonal skincare product within the portable dispenser unless and untilthe user initiates a dispensing action. For example, the closure meansmay comprise a removable and replaceable cap placed over the open top ofthe portable dispenser, such as a threaded cap or a snap-fit cap. Otherpotential closure means include suitable pumping mechanisms. One ofordinary skill in the art will recognize several other structures whichwill form or supplement a suitable closure means for the portabledispenser. In some embodiments, the closure may be secured to thecontainer and include an injection port to add liquid or othersubstances to the portable dispenser without removing the closure.

The closure means may additionally include a foaming element (not shown)to mix the customized personal skincare product with air to form a foamymixture as the product is dispensed from the closure means. Suitablefoaming elements include, for example, an air compressor and one or morescreens, meshes, porous membranes, or sponges. In yet additionalembodiments, the closure means may be hygienic, and it may also betamper evident.

In some applications, it may be beneficial to perform a mixing step 210after the closure means is added 208 to the portable dispenser. That is,if the additions of step 206 are not sufficiently forceful to thoroughlymix the base personal skincare material with the additional substances,the system 100 may shake, spin or otherwise agitate the portabledispenser in order to achieve a sufficient mixing action.

The process 200 may additionally include a labeling step 212, in whichpersonal skincare product information is printed either directly on theportable dispenser itself or onto a separate label which may be affixedto the portable dispenser by, for example, an adhesive. The personalskincare product information may include, for example, a description ofthe chemical formulation of the customized personal skincare product,instructions or warnings concerning use of the customized personalskincare product, governmental regulatory information, and the like.

Next, the portable dispenser is outputted 214 from the system 100 to theuser. The output step 214 may be performed in conjunction with a paymentstep 216, in which the system 100 will require the user to utilize thepayment means 128 of the system 100 before the portable dispenser isexpelled. In some embodiments, the user is required to pay prior to thecustomized personal skincare product being produced.

The system 100 and the process 200 may be used in conjunction withvarious market researching and user help methods. In a representativemarket researching method, for example, the system 100 may gather marketdemographic information related to each user which accesses the system100. The market demographic information may reflect one or more factorsdescribing the user which may play a role in a preferred formulation ofthe customizable personal skincare product, such as for example age,sex, race, and the like. The user may enter such demographic informationmanually via the user input 104, or the system 100 may gather thedemographic information automatically via a camera on the enclosure 102(not shown) and appropriate software. The system 100 may then send themarket demographic information, along with the formulation of the user'scustomized personal skincare product, to a central server through awired or wireless data communication link. A provider may then accessthat information in order to improve upon the various formulations madeavailable to all users in future implementations or modifications to thesystem 100.

In a first representative user help method, the system 100 may use thegathered market demographic information to provide suggestions to theuser regarding what that user might like in a customized personalskincare product. The system 100 can further provide additionalinformation to the user, for example, how many other people haveselected the particular personal skincare product formulation chosen bythe user.

In a second representative user help method, the user may use the inputmeans 108 of the system 100 in order to enter a user name and/orpassword which corresponds to a user account. The system 100 may thenaccess an internal memory storage, or an external memory storage througha wired or wireless communication link as known in the art, to obtainaccount information associated with the user. In a convenientembodiment, the external memory storage is part of a personal digitalassistant being operated by the user, such as a smart phone or tabletdevice, which is connected to the system 100 via a wired or wirelessdata connection 110. The user's account information may providepreferred recipes for a customized personal skincare product, and otherinformation.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the customizable personalskincare product could be for example a liquid sanitizer. In that event,the base material is a liquid sanitizer material. One of ordinary skillin the skincare art will know of various chemical formulations formaking the base sanitizer material. The user may use the input means 108to identify various properties of a customized liquid sanitizer productto be produced by the system 100, by adding various additionalsubstances to the base sanitizer material. Sanitizer options to beselected may include for example color options, bead options, flakeoptions, fragrance options, sensation options, viscosity options, andthe like.

The color option might specify the color of the liquid sanitizerproduct, such as for example clear (i.e., no color), white, blue, green,pink, or purple. Based on the selected color, the system 100 adds 206one or more additional substances to the base sanitizer material tochange its color to the desired color. In a similar way, the bead optionmight specify whether or not to include beads in the liquid sanitizer,and if so, a color or other property of the beads. The flake optionmight specify whether or not to include flakes or glitter in the liquidsanitizer, and if so, a color or other property of the flakes. Thefragrance option might specify a fragrance to be added to the liquidsanitizer, such as fragrance-free (i.e., no added fragrance), lemon,coconut, lilac, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, mint, apple, orblueberry. The sensation option might specify a sensation for the liquidsanitizer, such as a warm sensation or a cool sensation. The viscosityoption might specify a desired viscosity of the liquid sanitizer, suchas on a scale of 1 (very thin) to 5 (very thick). In general, the system100 mixes 206 or 210 appropriate additional substances from the storageunits 118 with the base sanitizer material in a portable dispenser inorder to create an end sanitizer product which is customized to theuser's specifications.

In some exemplary embodiments, the user may select the followingadditives and amounts of additives to the base product, such as forexample a sanitizer base product like Purell®. A colorant additive, frombetween about 0 to 0.01% (w/w) weight-in-weight. A skin conditioneradditive, such as, for example, glycerin from between about 0 to 5%(w/w). A pearlizing agent from between about 0 to 5% (w/w). Suspendedvisual agents, such as, for example, beads from between about 0 to 3%(w/w), and a fragrance from between about 0 to 3% (w/w).

FIG. 3 illustrates a representative embodiment 300 of a system forproducing a customizable personal skincare product in a portabledispenser. The system 300 as shown in FIG. 3 has many of the samecomponents as the generic system 100 described above in connection withFIG. 1, which are similarly numbered. Thus, the system 300 has anenclosure 302, an input means 308 comprising a touch screen display, apathway 316 partially comprising a ramp viewable through a window 324, abank 318 of storage units, an outlet opening 320, a door 322, and apayment means 328 comprising an electronic card swipe slot. The system300 of FIG. 3 also shows a few additional features not shown in FIG. 1.For example, the storage units 318 are mounted on a rotating carousel352, and the units 318 each have a conical injection head 354. Therotating carousel 352 may be refilled through lid 370. Moreover, thesystem 300 has a hand tag dispenser 356 for dispensing a label 375prepared by a printer (not shown) within the enclosure 302, so that theuser may affix the label to a portable dispenser which comes out of theoutlet opening 320, which is a see through door in some embodiments. Inaddition, instructions may be printed or graphically represented in area371 of the system 300.

During operation, in one embodiment, a user swipes a credit card inpayment means 328. Upon paying for the product, the input means 308 isactivated and a container 12 filled with a base material is positionedin the refill area of the rotating carousel 352. The user is prompted toselect one or more additives to be added to the base material. Forexample, the user may select a color, such as, for example, red, blue,green, orange, pink or the like. The user may select the darkness of thecolor, which may be a range of, for example, from 0-5, where 0 is nocolor and 5 is the maximum amount of colorant. Similarly, the user mayselect other additives, such as skin conditioners, pearlizing agents,suspended visual agents, fragrance and the like. The user may select arange of each of these additives. In some embodiments, the user mayselect an additive, but the range may be a set number. Once the userselects the additives and ranges, the carrousel 352 positions theappropriate injection head 354 to inject the additive to the basematerial in container 12. Container 12 may include a cap 14. System 300may open the cap 14 to allow the injection head 354 to inject additivesinto the container 12. In some embodiments, cap 14 is configured so thatinjection head 354 may inject the additive through, a tamper proof seal(not shown) in the cap 14. The tamper proof seal allows the injectionhead to inject the additive directly into the container 12 withoutopening the cap 14. In some embodiments, the cap 14 is added to thecontainer 12 after the additives are added to the base material. In someembodiments, the container 12 is empty and is filled with a basematerial through an injection head 354. Once the selected additives areadded to the container 12 and the cap 14 securely seals the container12, the container 12 moves along track 316 to door 320 where the usermay retrieve the customized skin care product. In some embodiments,track 316 has a downward slope toward door 320 and a vibrator (notshown) vibrates the track 316 causing the container 12 to vibrate as itmoves toward door 320 to mix the additives and base material together.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description ofembodiments thereof and while the embodiments have been described inconsiderable detail, it is not the intention of the applicants torestrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to suchdetail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention, in its broaderaspects, is not limited to the specific details, the representativeapparatus and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly,departures may be made from such details without departing from thespirit or scope of the applicants' general inventive concept.

We claim:
 1. A system for producing a customizable personal skincareproduct stored in a portable dispenser in accordance with specificationsprovided by a user, the system comprising: an enclosure containing atleast one processor and memory; an input the user may employ to inputselections and instructions to the system; a supply of portabledispensers, and a supply of a base personal skincare material; multiplestorage units, wherein each storage unit contains at least oneadditional substance which may be added to the base personal skincarematerial within the portable dispenser to create a customizable personalskincare product according to the user specifications; and at least onemechanical drive system controlled by the processor, wherein themechanical drive system operates to position a selected portabledispenser to receive substances from one or more of the multiple storageunits.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the customizable personalskincare product comprises a sanitizer, and the base liquid materialcomprises a sanitizer material.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein thecustomizable personal skincare product comprises a soap, and the baseliquid material comprises a soap material.
 4. The system of claim 3,wherein the additional substances permit the user to specify at leastone property selected from the group consisting of a color, a suspendedvisual agent, a bead, a flake, a fragrance, a sensation, and aviscosity.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input comprises atleast one element selected from the group consisting of a touch screendisplay, a number pad, a keyboard, a voice recognition system and awireless receiver.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the input comprisesa data connection between the system and a personal digital assistantbeing operated by the user.
 7. The system of claim 1, further comprisinga door to cover the outlet opening.
 8. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising one or more windows in the enclosure which permit the user toview internal operations of the system as the system forms thecustomized personal skincare product in a portable dispenser.
 9. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising a printer inside the enclosure toprint personal skincare liquid product information.
 10. The system ofclaim 9, wherein the printer prints the personal skincare productinformation on an adhesive label which may be affixed to the portabledispenser.
 11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a payment meansvia which the user may pay for the customized personal skincare productproduced by the system.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the storageunits each have a conical injection head designed to be inserted into anopen top of the selected portable dispenser.
 13. The system of claim 1,wherein the enclosure comprises a kiosk which may be placed at a pointof purchase location.
 14. A method for producing a customizable personalskincare product stored in a portable dispenser, the method comprising:obtaining from a user of the system one or more properties of a desiredcustomizable personal skincare product; obtaining a supply of a basepersonal skincare material within a portable dispenser; adding one ormore additional substances into the portable dispenser, thereby mixingthem with the base personal skincare material within the portabledispenser, to produce a final product in accordance with the propertiesof the desired customizable personal skincare product; placing a closureon the portable dispenser to hold the customized personal skincareproduct within the portable dispenser unless and until the userinitiates a dispensing action; and outputting the portable dispensercontaining the desired customizable personal skincare product from thesystem.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining the supply of thebase personal skincare material within the portable dispenser comprisesadding a portion of the base personal skincare material into an emptyportable dispenser.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining thesupply of the base personal skincare material within the portabledispenser comprises selecting a portable container which is pre-filledwith the base personal skincare material.
 17. The method of claim 14,wherein the one or more additional substances are held within separatestorage units, and the adding step is performed by applying a pressureto at least one of the storage units.
 18. The method of claim 14,wherein the closure comprises at least one element selected from thegroup consisting of a cap and a pumping mechanism.
 19. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising a mixing step after placing the closure onthe portable dispenser.
 20. The method of claim 14, further comprising alabeling step in which liquid product information is printed eitherdirectly on the portable dispenser or on a separate label which may besecured to the portable dispenser.
 21. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising a payment step in which the user is required to pay for thecustomizable personal skincare liquid product before the portabledispenser is expelled.
 22. The method of claim 14 wherein the supply ofportable dispensers and supply of base materials are provided by theuser.
 23. A customized personal skincare product system comprising: aportable dispenser; a base personal skincare material; a first substanceselected by a user; and a second substance selected by a user.
 24. Thesystem of claim 23 wherein the first and second substances comprise atleast one of a color, a fragrance, suspended visual agents, beads orglitter.
 25. The system of claim 23 wherein the user selects apercentage of at least one of the first and second substances.